Author Archives: Confanity

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About Confanity

I love the written word more than anything else I've had the chance to work with. I'm back in the States from Japan for grad school, but still studying Japanese with the hope of becoming a translator -- or writer, or even teacher -- as long as it's something language-related.

Ode of the Battle Poet

Posted on May 8, 2015 by Confanity

Ode of the Battle Poet Chop chop chop chop Chop chop chop chop Chop chop chop chop Stab. (Found jotted in charcoal on a piece of leather after the Skirmish of Round Rock)

Posted in Poetry, Setting, World-Building | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

But do you *have* to be on a horse for it to count?

Posted on May 6, 2015 by Confanity

一騎当千 i-.kki.tou.sen Literally: one – equestrian – hit – thousand Alternately: Mighty. So strong that a thousand opponents still cannot match them. Notes: This can be expanded to the descriptive noun phrase 一騎当千の兵 (ikkitousen no tsuwamono), “a warrior who can … Continue reading →

Posted in Japanese, Yojijukugo | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Magic Monday – End-of-Semester Anxiety Version

Posted on May 4, 2015 by Confanity

Fear-Spell The caster must prepare an object to be the vessel of this spell at the start of the day, in the darkness just before the sun rises, by symbolically filling it with his or her own fears. To cast … Continue reading →

Posted in Rules | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Once a three-year-old, always a three-year-old

Posted on May 3, 2015 by Confanity

[What can change the nature of a kid?] 三つ子の魂百まで (Mitsugo no tamashii hyaku made; “A child’s soul at three, until 100.”) Definition: Your character as a small child is set and does not change even if you live to be … Continue reading →

Posted in Japanese, Kotowaza | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Friday Forge – Term Project Break Version

Posted on May 1, 2015 by Confanity

I’m not planning on making this a regular or weekly feature – it’s just that it’s going to be Friday when this goes up, and I still like alliteration. Anyway, I’m taking a brain break from some pretty intense data-gathering … Continue reading →

Posted in Setting, World-Building | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

On the Playground

Posted on April 30, 2015 by Confanity

They played dodgeball every day, all of them, with their distinctive styles. There was Danny, who ran up to the line and heaved the ball as hard as he could; Peter, who ran around in the back and hurled the … Continue reading →

Posted in Short Fiction | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

Kindred spirits, thrown together

Posted on April 29, 2015 by Confanity

意気投合 i.ki.tou.gou Literally: mind – spirit – throw – join Alternately: Getting along with someone really well. Hitting it off. Finding a kindred spirit. Mutual understanding. Perfect concordance. Note: For some reason it’s easy for me to start thinking that … Continue reading →

Posted in Japanese, Yojijukugo | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Magic Monday – The sounding dark

Posted on April 27, 2015 by Confanity

Yambu This spell requires a flute, pipe, or other wind instrument to cast, and the caster must play the instrument continuously for the duration of the spell. Darkness is generated in a roughly spherical space centered on the caster, and … Continue reading →

Posted in Rules | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

On malicious napping

Posted on April 26, 2015 by Confanity

盗人の昼寝 (Nusubito no hirune; “A thief’s midday nap”) Definition: Even if an activity seems purposeless, it can still have a specific reason and purpose. Someone napping in the middle of the day may seem random, but for a thief the … Continue reading →

Posted in Japanese, Kotowaza | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

Otherwise they’ll just make do with some energetic jumping, apparently.

Posted on April 22, 2015 by Confanity

Here’s one thematically similar to Sunday’s kotowaza: 窮鼠噛猫 kyuu.so.gou.byou Literally: destitute / suffering / cornered – mouse / rat – bite – cat Alternately: A cornered rat will bite at a cat. Those in desperate straits will become unexpectedly fierce. … Continue reading →

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